Hey guys i just had a serious question? how safe are our first gen camaros. I know it is thirty years-old and probably is not on par with todays safety standards. But i guess im looking for some peace of mind i guess. i would think that as long as you can keep yourself pinned down in an old car and stop your head from smacking your wooden dash and steering wheel you would be ok, seeing as how the body is metal as opposed to fiberglass. anybody ever been in an accident with one and if so how did it hold? any info would be REALLY appreciated. thanks guys

 

Considering these things were built the same time the Corvairs were being built I would venture to say that by todays standards the safety rating would be poor at best. I look at it this way, I drive double defensivley (I took the NTSC Defensive Driving Course) when I drive my car on the street. I only drive it one or twice a month, in the summer months, when its not raining, the sun is shiniing and the stars are alinged just right. I figure the chance of getting in a wreck with my 1967 is close to nil under these conditions. But I do keep in mind that there is no airbag or any of the other safety features of todays cars.
If it keeps you awake at night I would suggest a rollcage and a harness. Then your better of than in any of todays cars.
Drive safe my friend. Every accident is preventabe

 

i don't have airbags

 

You dont want to crash an old car. New cars its common to crash at over 30mph and walk away.... thats just amazing. Older cars tend to break legs and ram steering columns into the driver in frontal collisions (no collapsing steering wheel). I wouldnt be afraid to drive the car because at any point a mojor collision can happen and kill you in ANY car. Even the safest car wont stand up to a 45ton rig blowing a red light. However like Guido67SS said a rollcage,racing seats and 4 point will do a good job in protecting you. The only problem with that is your looking at worse whiplash in the neck unless you drive with a helmet/donut .
"Damned if you do...." right?
CoryM

 

i always thought of it differently, unlike new cars classics are made from this substance called metal. Arn't our cars twice as strong as any modern day plastic car?

 

I also had the same thinking. I looked at the sub frame on my car and the ones on my dad's truck or van. My car's looked just as beefy or beefier. The space between the front of the bumper and water pump seems like at least a foot or more. I think thats a pretty good crumple zone. Some lady was telling me that she's flipped a couple camaros over the years too and walked away unharmed (i'm sure she had bruises or scratches but you know what i mean).

I saw my buddy plow his 70 Monte Carlo head on into a wall at probably 50mph. It hit so square the head lights didn't break. The driver hurt his knee and hit his head on the windshield since he was stupid and didn't wear his seat belt. The guy riding shotgun (the better friend) broke his nose on the dash because the dingus owner removed the shoulder belts from the car. The hood was folded so the peak was higher than the roof. The frame was tweaked and we could only open one door. It did a number on me seeing an accident like that. Its a serious mind f*** thinking that 2 of your friends are seriously hurt or killed. I come around the corner and the car is facing me and coolant is puking out. I couldn't even see in the car until I parked and got out.

 

Old cars themselves can come out of a crash better because they are all metal, BUT the safety features for the DRIVER are crap, so although the car won't be as harmed as a new one, it doesn't mean you won't be..........

 

Those were my thoughts as well. More solid overall, but less safety features. Those dang lap belts are just about useless as far as I'm concerned. I can see the steering column ramming the driver, but at the same time it takes a lot more to get to the driver in a solid metal car like ours.

I seem to think there's pros and cons to both, however, today's technology is far greater than yesterday's.

 

Think of it this way - you're still better off than riding a motorcycle.

I'd rather be in my 69 Camaro than a Mini, or a Neon.

 

Your right our cars are solid. Thats the problem.
Take a new car and get in a front ender and the front end looks like and accordian to the dash, but the driver's compartment stays intact. You don't get hurt. Hit a truck in a 55 chevy and the car only gets light body damage but you get killed cause you hit everything or get hit by everything like CoryM says. Its physics man....

 

When I had my '74 caddy, I once thought about how no safety features meant that possibly, that big, long, metal hood, that has no crumple zones, and is just flat, straight steel, could easily be sent straight through the windshield in a head on crash, decapitating me! I never looked at my caddy the same way ever again!

 

Better off than in a motorcycle?
Gotta disagree on that one.
My '78 Camaro, bone stock, does not give me the warm and fuzzies for safety that my '92 SSEi does. But then a '78 Z1R doesn't hold a candle to '92 or new SuperSport motorcycle either. That point made you are comparing Carrots to Coconuts when debating cage strength against motorcycles. Keep in mind that a car's safety defense tactic is a cage, while a motorcycle's safety defense tactic is agility. A motorcycle, most of them anyway (won't go there, different board, different discussion) can decelerate or accelerate quicker than a car. This is true even when the motorcycle is upto 10 years, or so, older than the car. Power to weight boys and girls. The car defends the driver with design technology. The rider defends the motorcycle with brain power and proper training wrapped in a full face helmet. Yes, cars work better under proper guidance. Just don't try that riding crop on your Z28 and use what your driving teacher taught you. How come no one ever says, better than on horse??

 

well i dont have a first gen but i have a second gen an 80 camaro and i got into an accident with 2 deers and 2 hondas and its still just about perfect. all 4 accidents i drove away from well actually 3 i did the second honda blew my rear tire out and all the damage i got was a dented passanger rear quarter and a broken headlight trim.